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Abstract:

A protective case for a portable electronic device which incorporates a
spool assembly containing a user dispensable and retractable Industry
standard or OEM charge/sync cable. The case provides the user with the
utility of always having a charge/sync cable available when needed while
being discreetly housed in a low-profile ergonomically pleasing package.
The case and spool assembly provide the user with up to 3 Ft or more of
cable available for dispensing from the case while allowing the portable
electronic device to be charged/synced at any desired dispensed length of
cable, and can be manufactured using any thermoplastic, metal, wood, or
composite. The dispensed cable and connector can be rewound onto the
spool manually using the spool finger pockets. The 2 distinct case
housing assemblies encase the device in a constraining pocket, utilizing
ramped boss and pocket latching features to retain the case housing
halves and the portable electronic device in the assembled and protected
condition, while allowing the unobstructed use of the device's full
functionality. The housing latching bosses and pockets are designed to
provide adequate assembly integrity, while allowing for the easy removal
of the lower housing assembly to provide "docking" access of the device
to 3rd party accessories. The protective case utilizes several
adhesive backed elastomeric decals mounted in complimentary shallow
housing pockets, to provide drop and bump protection of the electronic
device as well as anti-slip properties and aesthetic beautification.

Claims:

1. A protective case assembly for a portable electronic device comprised
of: a protective housing assembly, an integrated cable/connector assembly
coupled to the standard portable electronic device charge/sync port, and
an integrated rotational spool assembly, containing a fixed length of
charge/sync cable and distal interface connector, that can be extended or
retracted from the housing assembly as desired.

2. The invention of claim 1, wherein the protective housing assembly is
comprised of a nosecone housing and a lower housing, which when
temporarily latched together form the completed protective housing
assembly.

3. The invention of claim 1, wherein at least one housing contains a
pocket that captures and retains the portable electronic device and
contains at least one aperture for access to the portable device user
interfaces.

4. The invention of claim 1, wherein at least one housing contains a
pocket to house a spool assembly.

5. The invention of claim 4, wherein the spool assembly is comprised of:
a stationary PCB, used for the termination of an industry standard
proximal device interface connector cable pigtail assembly, and to
provide concentric interface pads to complete the electrical connection
through the rotor PCB to the distal industry standard USB connector. a
rotary PCB, wherein there is maintained by use of a metallic electrical
contact, at least one constant electrical connection between the Type A
USB connector or industry standard distal connector and the OEM Pigtail
proximal or industry standard proximal connector. a spool top component,
wherein the spool top provides a connection hub for mounting of the
rotary PCB, and for providing a center wall for the charge/sync cable to
wind onto, and to provide finger pockets consisting of conical steeply
angled walls which terminate in the spool top to a flat bottom finger
surface to allow for the manual retraction of the charge/sync cable. a
fixed length of cable attached to the rotary PCB terminated with a distal
interface connector.

6. The invention of claim 5, wherein the cable assembly can be extended
to any fixed distance from the protective case by manually pulling on the
exposed distal connector.

7. The invention of claim 5, wherein the cable assembly can be fully
retracted into a protected and discreet position inside the protective
case by manually rotating the spool top component.

9. The invention of claim 2, wherein the case housing halves are composed
of any suitable manufacturing material such as thermoplastic, metal,
organic compounds, wood, cork, or composite materials and are made by
means of industry standard injection molding processes, machining, or
casting, and can be of any possible color, surface texture or 3D profile.

10. The invention of claim 2, wherein the case housing halves are of any
configuration, shape, size, profile, or style that conforms to or applies
to the claims of this patent.

11. The invention of claim 2, wherein the case housings follow the curves
of the portable electronic device, however deviate from the curve profile
in a "bump-out" housing section of a minimum of 0.21 inches from the
device charge/sync port face and a corresponding "bump-in" of the housing
on the device charge/sync port face to create an easily discernable
"nook" in the housing that allows the user to discern the orientation of
the device in one's pocket or in low light or visually obstructed
conditions.

12. The invention of claim 1, wherein the case assembly when installed,
still allows for access to the native functions of the portable
electronic device.

13. The invention of claim 1, wherein the spool assembly contains
conductive spring members that maintain constant electrical contact at
any desired length of extended or retracted spooling distance from the
protective case.

14. The invention described in claim 1, wherein the portable electronic
case assembly incorporates apertures on any face (front, back, left,
right, top, bottom) to allow for the unrestricted and undistorted access
and egress of sound through the portable electronic device
speaker/microphone ports, and to allow mechanical mating of all portable
electronic device accessory ports such as but not limited to the
headphone jack.

15. The invention described in claim 1, wherein the case assembly
incorporates at least one geometrical/conformal aperture to allow for the
use of extension buttons such as but not limited to, the volume, mute,
and on/off buttons, of the portable electronic device. These buttons can
be manufactured using any materials, processes, colors, textures,
geometries or 3D profiles similar to that of the housings.

16. The invention of claim 14, wherein the case housing halves
incorporate at least one aperture on any face, (front, back, left, right,
top, bottom), to allow for the unrestricted and undistorted access and
function of the portable electronic device camera(s).

17. The invention of claim 1, wherein the nosecone housing assembly and
lower housing assembly latching/mating and de-latch/un-mating forces
result in less y-axial force when mating and increased y-axial force when
un-mating.

18. The invention described in claim 1, where the spool top assembly
incorporates at least one finger depression designed to effectively
retain the user's finger in the spool top pocket(s) during the rotational
spinning action of the spool assembly.

19. The invention described in claim 1, wherein the case exterior extends
at least 0.21 inches from the device charge/sync port face of the
portable electronic device (front, back, left, right, top, bottom), to
provide a thumb rest and gripping area for one handed viewing of the
portable electronic device screen and unobstructed access to the user
interface button(s), while providing space inside the housing for the
proximal connector and corresponding 180 degree bend of the proximal
cable pigtail.

20. The invention described in claim 1, where the case assembly contains
shallow pockets for the acceptance of decals. The pocket depths and the
corresponding thickness of the decals result in the top decal surfaces
protruding a distance above the surfaces of the case assembly to provide
anti-slip functionality as well as drop and bump protection and aesthetic
beautification.

Description:

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] Today's society has adopted technology on a broad scale. This
includes the adoption of personal hand held electronics for use in
playing music, playing games, making phone calls, navigating the
internet, tracking your exact location, checking the weather, etc. These
electronic devices have taken the form of iPods®, iPhones®,
iPads®, OEM Cell Phones, Personal Data Assistants (PDA's), handheld
GPS navigation devices, portable music players, and the like. All of
these handheld portable devices are battery powered and require charging
With an external charge/sync cable specific to the OEMs charging and
interconnect requirements. Today's increased use of video streaming and
GPS navigation on the latest smartphones have put a strain on battery
capacity and uninterrupted device use. This battery demand has required
the device user to charge their devices more frequently. However, to be
able to charge the device, the user must possess the charge/sync cable.
In addition, the cable must be compatible with the specific OEM
requirements, such as USB micro, USB mini, Lightning®, JAE 30-pin,
etc. All popular electronic devices such as those listed above use a
charging/sync cable that has a common distal end connector, currently at
the time of filing, this distal connector is the industry standard USB
Type A 4-pin shrouded male/plug connector, however the scope of this
invention covers any type or gender of OEM proprietary or industry
standard distal connector. This invention solves the problem of the user
not having a charging/sync cable on their person when needed to recharge
the portable electronic device. In addition to always physically being
attached to the device and always electrically connected to the device,
the distal connector is dispensable up to 3 Ft or more from the device,
allowing the portable electronic device to be used as designed during the
charging/sync time duration. Once charged or the sync is complete, the
user can quickly and conveniently manually recoil the cable back into its
low profile storage position on the portable electronic device by
radially spinning the spool assembly top clockwise with the users finger
placed into one or more of the spool finger pockets. This invention
performs this utility in the form of two protective case assembly halves
either of which may house a coiled and spooled device compatible
charge/sync cable, which can be dispensed from the case assembly and
returned to the case assembly using only ones fingers.

[0002] Others have devised methods to address the need for more battery
power as is referenced in U.S. Pat. No. 8,646,698 Chen et al., and U.S.
Pat. No. 8,531,833 whereby a protective case is fitted with an external
additional battery. While this does extend battery life and thus usage
time, once that time has expired, the user must find the appropriate
charge/sync cable and plug the distal connector into a power and/or data
source. With no cable, there is no additional/recharge power, regardless
of the battery presence in the case. With this invention, the user is
never without a charge/sync cable physically and electrically connected
to the portable electronic device, and the user is never without the
ability to plug the distal connector into a USB Type A or equivalent
power source receptacle. In other prior art such as U.S. Pat. No.
6,957,978 Zoller, a means is provided to "coil" a charge/sync cable
around a protruding spool feature coupled to the back of the device.
While the patent covers the retraction of the spool back into the
housing/case, the OEM end of the cable is not always connected/mated to
the device, and the cable must be fully removed from the spool and
manually connected to the portable electronic device before
charging/sync. With the present invention, the charge/sync cable is
always physically and electrically connected at the OEM connector end and
is ready for use once the distal connector is dispensed and connected to
a USB Type A or equivalent power source receptacle. U.S. Pat. No.
8,579,172 Monaco et al., provides several utilities in its case design
such as drop protection, a belt clip, bottle opener, and earphone storage
and dispensing, however it does not provide an integrated charge/sync
cable.

[0003] While U.S. Pat. No. 7,297,001 Wu, and U.S. Pat. No. 7,255,595 Lo,
is a transmission line wire winding device which is pulled at one end, it
is not integrated into a protective portable electronic device case, nor
does its fixed end constantly remain mated to the portable electronic
device during the storage and use cycle. In addition, the present
invention utilizes electrical contacts that are significantly different
than those shown by Wu and Lo, and in the present invention, these
contacts are applied in a manner that allows for the deflection of the
contact beams within the thickness of the PCB to which they are soldered.
U.S. Pat. No. 8,640,868 O'Dowd et al., and U.S. Pat. No. 8,634,887 Hu et
al., show means of applying a protective case or cover to a portable
device, however, the present invention utilizes different geometry to
that shown in the above referenced patents to temporarily connect the 2
case halves together. More specifically, latch geometry was specifically
designed in this invention that allows the two case assembly halves to be
snapped together relatively easily, while remaining fairly difficult to
disconnect, which provides case integrity and functionality during normal
use and abuse of the portable electronic device, however allows easy
de-attachment of the lower case assembly half to allow unrestricted
device "docking" to 3rd party accessory devices. U.S. Pat. No.
8,365,887 Fischer, shows a manual earphone retraction apparatus, which is
not a charge/sync cable, which could be incorporated into a portable
electronic device case. The embodiment and claims therein show a
retraction spool with one or more "spherical" depressions for the
acceptance of one's finger to wind. The present invention incorporates a
similar spool, however incorporates "conical" depressions, (not
"spherical" depressions as depicted and claimed in U.S. Pat. No.
8,365,887 Fischer, featuring steep side walls and flat depression bottoms
which provide better finger retention in the case spool assembly during
the radial winding operation. In U.S. Pat. No. 8,123,552 Hsu et al., a
portable storage box is presented which is also similar to the present
invention, however it is designed for external portable hard drives
specifically. It also requires the device/portable hard drive to be
permanently mounted to the case assembly and does not allow easy case
assembly removal for device maintenance or device "docking". In US
Application 2013/0020425 Grassi et al., a protective case for electronic
devices is proposed which incorporates storage for earphones and a
charge/sync cable. However, Grassi requires the user to remove both ends
of the charge/sync cable and earphone cables from the case and then plug
both ends of the charge/sync cable or earphone cable into their
respective device port locations for charging and/or sync, or headphone
use to occur. The present invention provides a constant mating condition
to the device regardless of the length of cable dispensed, while the case
assembly is attached to the portable electronic device, and allows for
cable dispensing to occur from the distal end only to connect the
portable electronic device to the power/sync source. In addition, due to
the always connected/mated nature of the case/connector in the present
invention, the life of the OEM device integrated female connector is
significantly extended by reducing the number of device/cable mates
required for the lifespan of the device, and reducing the portable
electronic device OEM connector to exposure of moisture and debris.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0004] It is a primary objective of the present invention to overcome the
aforementioned problems and limitations by providing a protective case
for a portable electronic device which incorporates a spool assembly
containing an integrated user dispensable and retractable OEM or industry
standard charge/sync cable.

[0005] To achieve the aforementioned objectives the present invention
provides a protective case which is comprised of 2 case housing
sub-assemblies. The 2 case housing halves/assemblies are defined as 1)
the nosecone housing assembly, and 2) the lower housing assembly. These 2
complimentary housing assemblies encase and protect a portable electronic
device whereby the electronic device slides into a constraining pocket
available on each of the case assembly halves which have flat inner back
surfaces, device curve following side walls and integrated top retaining
lip features. The retaining lips are optimally sized to provide reliable
device retention, while also providing enough "slip-fit" clearance to
allow the user to easily assemble and dis-assemble the case from the
portable electronic device. The lower housing assembly includes a fixed
and terminated OEM proprietary, or industry standard proximal connector
which mates with the portable electronic device upon the 2 case housing
halves latching together. The 2 case housing halves are joined together
by an interconnecting latch with boss and pocket features that are built
into each case assembly housing. The "beam" latches are symmetrical to
the longitudinal or y-axis of the device, and are designed to allow easy
assembly and latching of the 2 halves, while providing a higher
retraction or dis-assembly force to provide case integrity during normal
assembled/latched use and abuse. The dis-assembly force is such that
dis-assembly is still relatively easy with a moderate tug which allows
for the lower housing assembly to be removed for device maintenance,
cleaning, or docking to 3rd party accessories.

[0006] The nosecone housing assembly contains geometric features that
allow for the uninhibited and unrestricted use of the device interfaces,
such as the on/off switch and the up and down volume buttons. The
nosecone housing also has a recessed camera viewport for unrestricted and
unaltered photo/video functionality of the device. In addition, the
nosecone housing has optional geometric features that allow for the
viewing of a device OEM logo. The nosecone housing is designed to be
compatible with injection molding manufacturing and has been designed to
be compatible with industry standard mold design and/or machining
processes. The nosecone housing can be made using any commercially
available thermoplastic such as ABS® or any metal, wood, or
composite. The nosecone housing has several shallow pockets on its
surface designed to accept thin protective and anti-slip elastomeric
decals, each with adhesive on one side.

[0007] The lower housing assembly is comprised of an upper and lower
housing half, a spool assembly comprised of a stator PCB assembly, an
Industry standard USB Type A connectorized and terminated pigtail
assembly, a rotor PCB and contact assembly, an OEM Industry standard
connector pigtail assembly, and protective/anti-slip elastomeric decals,
each with adhesive on one side. The lower housing assembly upper and
lower housing halves have been designed to be compatible with injection
molding manufacturing and have been designed to be compatible with
industry standard mold design. The lower housing upper and lower housing
halves can be made using any commercially available thermoplastic such as
ABS®, any metal, wood, or composite. The lower housing upper & lower
housing halves have several shallow pockets on their surfaces which are
designed to accept thin protective and anti-slip decals of rubber, each
with a PSA adhesive on one side.

[0008] The present invention allows the user to dispense the USB Type A
charge/sync connector by pulling at only one end, with more than 3 ft. of
charge cable being potentially pulled from the case assembly. This allows
the user to fully use the features and capabilities of the electronic
device while the device is charging or syncing. Once charging or syncing
is complete, the present invention allows the user to quickly and easily
retract or recoil the USB Type A connector and attached cable by
spinning/winding the spool assembly using a finger pressed into one of
the circular conical depressions on the spool top surface, or by use of a
recoil spring, the cable can be automatically rewound onto the spool
assembly. The present invention by means of the PCBs and electrical
contacts allows the user to charge/sync the portable electronic device in
any dispensed/extracted length position of USB Type A connector. The
present invention can be manufactured using industry standard tooling and
techniques, no special assembly tooling is required. The present
invention also is manufactured using industry standard OEM cable
assemblies so as to be compatible with all current and future OEM
portable electronic devices such as the ever evolving designs of cell
phones.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0009] FIG. 1. Is a top left ISO view of the invention in its assembled
condition with the USB Type A charge/sync connector in its stored
condition.

[0010] FIG. 2. Is a bottom right ISO view of the invention in its
assembled condition with the USB Type A charge/sync connector in its
stored condition.

[0011] FIG. 3. Is a top left ISO view of the invention in its assembled
condition with the USB Type A charge/sync connector in its partially
dispensed position.

[0012] FIG. 4. Is a bottom right ISO view of the invention in its
assembled condition with the USB Type A charge/sync connector in its
partially dispensed position. Some of the elastomeric decals are
highlighted in this view.

[0013] FIG. 5. Is a top left ISO view of the device with the nosecone
assembly and lower housing assembly shown in their unmated condition. All
relevant device features are defined in this view.

[0014] FIG. 6. Is a top left ISO view of the lower housing assembly shown
in its exploded state.

[0015] FIG. 7. Is a top left ISO view of the stator PCB, rotor PCB and
spool assembly shown in an exploded state.

[0016] FIG. 8. Is a bottom left ISO view of the stator PCB, rotor PCB and
spool assembly shown in an exploded state.

[0017] FIG. 9. Is a bottom left ISO view of the rotor PCB and coiled USB
Type A cable assembly shown in an exploded state.

[0018] FIG. 10. Is a bottom left ISO view of the rotor PCB and coiled USB
Type A cable assembly shown in an assembled state.

[0019] FIG. 11. Is a combination Plan, Section, and Detail view of the
Stator PCB, Rotor PCB, and Spool Assembly shown in the assembled
condition. This view is meant to highlight the electrical contact and its
normal force deflection condition, and that the deflection occurs in
plane with the thickness of the rotor PCB to which it is soldered.

[0020] FIG. 12. Is a back left ISO view of the case assembly only with the
nosecone assembly and lower housing assembly slightly unmated to
highlight the interlocking features of both assemblies.

[0021] FIG. 13. Is a top right ISO of the lower housing lower half to
highlight the lower housing lower half features.

[0022] FIG. 14. Is a back right ISO of the lower housing lower half to
highlight the lower housing lower half features.

[0023] FIG. 15. Is a bottom left ISO of the lower housing upper half to
highlight the lower housing upper half features.

[0024] FIG. 16. Is a top left ISO of the lower housing upper half to
highlight the lower housing upper half features.

[0025] FIG. 17. Is a top right ISO of the nosecone to highlight the
nosecone features.

[0026] FIG. 18. Is a bottom left ISO of the nosecone to highlight the
nosecone features.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0027] FIG. 1. Is a top left ISO view of the 2 protective case housing
halves, nosecone housing assembly 110 and lower housing assembly 120
fully mated and assembled for use with a known portable electronic device
100. The coordinate system shown in FIG. 1., identifies the directions
and axis referenced in this embodiment.

[0028] FIG. 2. Is a back left ISO view of the 2 protective case housing
halves, nosecone housing assembly 110 and lower housing assembly 120
fully mated and assembled for use with a known portable electronic device
100. As can be seen in FIG. 2, the protective case allows for the full
and uninhibited use of the device functionality through the nosecone
housing assembly viewport 115 and nosecone housing assembly mute pocket
117 and lower housing assembly speaker/microphone Port A 324 and lower
housing assembly speaker/microphone Port B 325. The present invention
applies to all forms and manufacturers of portable electronic devices,
and therefore different variations may include various "windows" or
"ports" in various geometric positions on the protective case housing
halves such as to highlight a manufacturer's logo, as is shown in the
nosecone housing assembly core window 116. FIG. 2. Additionally
highlights the lower housing assembly spool assembly 500 which is used to
hold the industry standard charge/sync cable pigtail assembly 800 and the
lower housing assembly'USB Type A connector assembly 130. The lower
housing assembly USB Type A access port 326 is used to allow for the
containment and protection of the lower housing assembly USB Type A
connector assembly 130, and to allow for the dispensing and
retracting/rewinding of the industry standard charge/sync cable pigtail
assembly 800 and the lower housing assembly USB Type A connector assembly
130 through the body of the lower housing assembly 120. In addition, FIG.
2. Shows the elastomeric decal (such as rubber)--lower housing
assembly--lower bottom 402. This rubber decal and others that will be
described later in this embodiment are designed for 3 main purposes, 1)
drop and bump damage protection, 2) anti-slip properties in one's hands
and on hard surfaces, 3) aesthetic beautification and style. In addition,
the use of adhesive backed rubber decals allows for the maintenance and
repair of the functionality described above. The decals can be made of
any elastomeric material such as rubber, and can be of any color, or have
any design or image imprinted on their top surface. The decals can be of
smooth texture, or any other rougher texture or 3D profile/contour, and
can be of any practical or varying thickness and not be limited to the
0.032'' constant thickness shown in the invention drawings. In both FIG.
1 and FIG. 2, the lower housing assembly USB Type A connector assembly
130 is shown in its fully retracted and stored condition.

[0029] FIG. 3. Again shows a top-left ISO view of the 2 protective case
housing halves, nosecone housing assembly 110 and lower housing assembly
120 assembled for use with a known portable electronic device 100. FIG.
3., also shows the industry standard charge/sync cable pigtail assembly
800 and its associated Overmold USB type A 134 and connector USB Type A
133 shown in a partially dispensed position. The invention may include
any nominal full length of cable that will fit onto a spool assembly and
is not limited to any specific fully dispensed/extracted length. For the
present invention, the spool holds approximately 3 Ft of extendable
cable. This 3 Ft length allows the user to fully utilize the portable
electronic device 100 while the device is plugged into a charge/sync port
such as those found on laptop and desktop computers and more recently
being integrated into vehicle cabins and wall electrical outlets. FIG. 3
also shows the "butt-out" 150 of the housing 120 which extends a minimum
of 0.21 inches from the device charge/sync port face to provide a surface
area for one-handed holding of the electronic device without obscuring
the device screen. The bump-out 150 also provides the housing space to
accommodate the proximal device connector and its associated 180 degree
bend of the cable. The bump-out also creates a corresponding "nook" 151.
This nook provides the user with a tactile way to discern the orientation
of the portable device in one's pocket, or in poorly lit or visually
obscured conditions.

[0030] FIG. 5. Shows the nosecone housing assembly 110, and the lower
housing assembly 120 dis-assembled from the portable electronic device
100. This dis-assembly of the nosecone housing assembly 110 is performed
by the user by applying a Y-axial force that is sufficient to overcome
the latching force imparted by latching features 117, 118, 302, 303 shown
in FIG. 12. The complete removal of the nosecone housing assembly 110 is
accomplished by overcoming the friction forces of the volume up button
203 and volume down button 202 shown in FIG. 17. Dis-assembly of the
lower housing assembly 120 from the portable electronic device 100 is
performed by the user by applying a Y-axial force that is sufficient to
overcome the latching force imparted by latching features 117, 118, 302,
303 shown in FIG. 12. For purposes of "docking" the portable electronic
device 100 with 3rd party accessories such as a with a portable
music player/speakers, the nosecone housing assembly 110 can be left in
the assembled state on the portable electronic device 100 while only the
lower housing assembly 120 is easily and temporarily removed. FIG. 5.,
also shows typical features found on a portable electronic device such as
the electronic device on/off switch 103, the electronic device top camera
109A, the electronic device bottom camera 109B, the electronic device
screen 107, the electronic device interface button 104, the electronic
device speaker/microphone A 101A, the electronic device
speaker/microphone B 101B, the electronic device charge/sync port 102,
the electronic device headphone port 105, the electronic device volume
down button 106A, the electronic device volume up button 106B, and the
electronic device mute switch 108.

[0031] FIG. 6., Shows a top left ISO exploded view of the lower housing
assembly 120. The lower housing assembly lower half 301 can be made of
any thermoplastic, metal, wood or composite, and forms the base of the
lower housing assy. The lower housing assembly upper half 320 can be made
of any thermoplastic, metal, wood, or composite, and is permanently glued
or bonded to the lower housing assembly lower half 301 using the housing
latching features 311 and 308 shown in FIG. 13., latching feature 314
shown in FIG. 14., and interlock lips 327 and alignment posts 321 shown
in FIG. 15. The lower housing assy OEM connector pigtail assy 190 is
shown in an exploded position in FIG. 6. and is not modified from its
vendor or OEM supplied condition, however the cable 800 has been cut
approximately 3 inches from the connector shown in FIG. 6 to allow the
pigtail assy 190 to be electrically terminated to the lower housing
stator PCB 180. The lower housing assembly spool assembly 500, and lower
housing assembly USB Type A connector assembly 130, is shown in its
exploded position in FIG. 6., and interacts with the lower housing halves
301 and 320, and lower housing assembly stator PCB 180. Also shown in
FIG. 6. are various rubber decals used to provide protection and
anti-slip functionality as well as aesthetic beautification of the
protective case. These decals are the lower housing assembly top trim
413, lower housing assembly top thumb rest 412, lower housing assembly
left side 404, and lower housing assembly back 410.

[0032] FIG. 7., is a top left ISO view of the following isolated main
components, the lower housing stator PCB 180, the lower housing OEM
connector pigtail assembly 190, and the lower housing assembly spool
assembly 500. Looking at the lower housing and assembly stator PCB 180 in
more detail, it can be seen that there are several alignment/mounting
holes 183 which are used to align and mount the stator PCB 180 to the
lower housing assembly lower half 301. Also shown are the stator PCB via
holes 183 which are used to connect the PCB top and bottom traces
together electrically. The stator PCB center hub hole 181 is used to form
a radial bearing surface for the lower housing spool assembly 500. The
lower housing assembly rotor PCB 510 is shown in FIG. 7., and radially
interacts with the lower housing assembly stator PCB to provide
continuous electrical connections between the lower housing assembly OEM
connector pigtail assembly 190 and the industry standard charge/sync
pigtail assembly 800 at any length of extraction from the protective
case. Looking at the rotor PCB 510 in more detail, the rotor PCB
anti-rotation slot 513 can be seen. This anti-rotation slot mates with
and is glued/bonded to the spool top anti-rotation boss 521 and once
mated creates the spool assembly 500. The width of the spool assembly
that is used to accommodate the industry standard charge/sync pigtail
assembly 800 is determined by the spool top cable width boss 522. The
rotor PCB contact heel mount 515 is used to locate, align and
electrically terminate the rotor PCB contact 700 shown in FIG. 11. The
rotor PCB contact deflection slot 514 is used to locate, align, and
provide a z-axis space for the PCB contact 700 to deflect upon assembly
and provide a sufficient normal force to the stator PCB constant contact
pads 184, 185, 186, 187, and 188 shown in FIG. 8. The rotor PCB center
hub hole 516 is used to allow the rotor PCB center hub 525 to pass
through it and interact with the stator PCB center hub hole 181. Also
shown in FIG. 7. is the overmold USB Type A 134 and connector USB Type A
133 which are used to interface with the power source or computer for
syncing.

[0033] FIG. 8., is a bottom left ISO view of the following isolated main
components, the lower housing stator PCB 180, the lower housing OEM
connector pigtail assembly 190, and the lower housing assembly spool
assembly 500. A closer look at the spool top 520 shows at least one
radially spaced spool top finger depression 524 used to retain the users
finger during the rewinding/recoiling process of retrieving and storing
the lower housing assembly USB Type A connector assembly 130 into the
case assembly. Other features of the spool top finger depression 524 are
the spool top finger depression floor 527 which serves at the bottom of
the depression, and the spool top finger depression conical wall 528
which is used to retain the users finger in the depression during the
rewinding process of retrieving and storing the lower housing assembly
USB Type A connector assembly 130 into the case assembly. The spool top
rewind direction arrow 523 is shown in FIG. 8., and is provided as a
visual aid for proper rewinding/recoiling operation. The spool top
rotation bearing surface 526 is used to retain the spool assy 500 in the
lower housing assembly 120 by bearing on the lower housing lower half
spool pocket 307 shown in FIG. 13. Also shown in FIG. 8. Is the spool
assembly epoxy strain relief ring 600 which is potted in place over the
solder terminations of the industry standard charge/sync pigtail assembly
800 to provide axial strain relief of the cable assembly when the cable
is fully extracted and experiences an y-axis pull force from the user.

[0034] FIG. 9., is a bottom left ISO view of the lower housing spool
assembly 500 shown in an exploded state. The rotor PCB contact 700 is
shown assembled to the rotor PCB 510 by means of surface mount soldering
techniques. The contact 700 is constrained to the PCB by means of a
solder joint to the corresponding PCB wire termination pad 512, and by
the solder surrounding the "heel" of the contact 700 and wetted to the
PCB plated thru hole 515.

[0035] FIG. 10., is a top left ISO view of the lower housing spool
assembly 500 shown in an assembled state. The industry standard
charge/sync pigtail assembly 800 is shown in its soldered position to the
rotor PCB 510, and encapsulated in the epoxy strain relief ring 600. The
encapsulation material may be of any suitable potting material such as
but not limited to, glue, epoxy, thermoplastic resin, etc. The
encapsulate is designed to adhere to the rotor PCB 510, and to the
conductors and jacket material of the industry standard charge/sync
pigtail assembly 800 to provide y-axis strain relief during user
extraction of the USB connector assembly 130. The axial strain relief
performance shall be sufficient to provide damage protection during
normal use and abuse by the user.

[0037] FIG. 12., is a bottom left ISO view of the protective case assembly
with the lower housing assembly 120 shown slightly disengaged from the
nosecone housing assembly 110. The lower housing assembly 120 is
connected and retained to the nosecone housing assembly 110 by means of
the symmetrically opposed latching features comprised of the nosecone
latching pocket 117 and the corresponding lower housing latching boss
304. The resultant latching force shall be sufficient to retain the
nosecone housing assembly 110, and the lower housing assembly 120
together during normal device usage, and thereby protectively encasing
the portable electronic device 100. The nosecone latch lead-in ramp 118,
is designed in such a manner as to have the lead-in angle be shallow with
respect to the steeper ramp angle of the lower housing latching ramp 303.
This design intent results in a smaller y-axis force being required to
mate/latch the lower housing assembly 120 to the nosecone housing
assembly 110, and a relatively higher y-axis force being required to
un-mate/de-latch the lower housing assembly 120 from the nosecone housing
assembly 110. This assures that the 2 housing halves do not inadvertently
become de-latched during normal use of the portable electronic device
100. The latching of the two housing halves is accomplished by the beam
deflection of the symmetrical lower housing latching bosses 304, and the
subsequent relaxing of those bosses to nest into the corresponding
symmetrically opposed nosecone housing latching pockets 117. The
magnitude of the mating/latching force of the 2 housing halves is
controlled by the lead-in angle of the nosecone housing latch lead-in
ramp 118, the height of the lower housing latching bosses 304, and the
depth of the lower nosecone latching pockets 117. All nosecone housing
latch features are designed to be compatible with current industry
standard injection molding and machining techniques. Also shown in FIG.
12., are more adhesive backed rubber decals such as the rubber decal
nosecone assy front 406, the rubber decal lower housing assembly left
side 411, and the rubber decal lower housing assembly lower bottom 402.
These rubber decals are designed to mount in shallow conformal pockets in
the nosecone housing assembly 110, and the lower housing assembly 120,
and by design of the depth of the pockets and the thickness of the
adhesive backed rubber decals, the exposed top surface of the decals
shall protrude beyond the top surfaces of the nosecone housing assembly
110, and the lower housing assembly 120, which adds non-slip
functionality of the case assembly, as well as shock absorbing drop or
bump protection functionality.

[0038] FIG. 13., is atop right ISO view of the lower housing lower half
301, which can be made of any thermoplastic, metal, wood, or composite,
and can either be manufactured by means of injection molding or
machining. The lower housing lower half 301, is designed to mate and be
permanently bonded to the lower housing upper half 320 shown in FIG. 15.
The intent of having a lower housing lower half 301 and a lower housing
upper half 320 is to allow each half to be easily manufactured by means
of injection molding or machining. The lower housing lower half alignment
mating holes 305, are used in combination with the lower housing lower
half alignment/mating posts 308, to align the lower housing lower half
301 to the lower housing upper half 320 during the manufacturing bonding
process of the two halves to each other. In addition, to add strength to
the lower housing assembly, the symmetrically opposed lower housing lower
half interlock pockets 311A and 311B, mate and are permanently bonded
with the corresponding lower housing upper half interlocking lips 327A,
and 327B. The lower housing lower half OEM pigtail strain relief pocket
306 is used to provide a space for the excess cable to "live" after
assembly/bonding of the stator PCB 180 to the lower housing assembly
lower half 301. The lower housing lower half spool pocket is designed to
constrain the spool assembly 500 as the lower housing connector assembly
130 is extracted and retrieved by means of rotation about the z-axis. The
lower housing lower half cable restricting slot 309 is designed to orient
the OEM pigtail cable assembly 800 with the orientation of same cable
assembly as it is wound onto spool assembly 500. This rectangular
aperture/slot matches the profile of the pigtail cable assembly 800, and
assures that the cable will not get twisted on the spool and assures
consistent reliable operation of the spool assembly 500. The lower
housing lower half core pocket 310 provides no functional or aesthetic
function to the invention, however provides a more consistent wall
thickness of the lower housing lower half component 301, and prevents
unwanted defects in the injection molding process such as sinks or
unwanted warping. The lower housing lower half USB port pocket 318, is
designed to guide and constrain the lower housing connector assembly 130,
as it engages/enters/exits the lower housing assembly 120.

[0039] FIG. 14., is a bottom right ISO view of the lower housing lower
half 301, where the lower housing lower half USB Type A dispensing pocket
317 is designed to allow user to advance the lower housing connector
assembly 130 sufficiently past the entry/exit face of the lower housing
assembly 120, such that the user can grab the lower housing connector
assembly 130, with one's fingers to extract a desired length of the OEM
cable assembly 800, to reach the external power source and/or data port.
Also shown in FIG. 14., are several shallow rubber decal pockets, such as
the lower housing lower half upper bottom decal pocket 312, the lower
housing lower half left side decal pocket 314, the lower housing lower
half back decal pocket 315, and the lower housing lower half lower bottom
decal pocket 313, which are designed to accept the thickness of the
corresponding adhesive backed rubber decals, whereas the exposed top
surface of the decals shall protrude some distance beyond the top
surfaces of the nosecone housing assembly 110, and the lower housing
assembly 120, which adds non-slip functionality of the case assembly, as
well as shock absorbing drop or bump protection functionality.

[0040] The lower housing lower half OEM pigtail strain relief pocket 316,
is designed to provide a minimum of 0.21 inches of y-axis space where the
OEM pigtail assembly 190 can make a 180 degree transition during
assembly.

[0041] FIG. 15., is a bottom left ISO view of the lower housing upper half
320 showing the lower housing upper half alignment/mounting posts 321,
which are used during alignment and permanent bonding to the lower
housing assembly lower half 301 and its alignment/mating holes 305. The
lower housing upper half OEM pigtail pocket 322, is designed to provide a
space where the OEM pigtail assembly 190 can make a 180 degree transition
during assembly. The lower housing upper half USB Type A pocket 319, is
complimentary to feature 318, and is designed to allow the user to
advance the lower housing connector assembly 130 sufficiently past the
entry/exit face of the lower housing assembly 120, such that the user can
grab the lower housing connector assembly 130, with one's fingers to
extract a desired length of the OEM cable assembly 800 to reach the
external power supply or sync port. Both the lower housing lower half
301, and the lower housing upper half 320, have been designed to be
compatible with current industry standard injection molding and machining
techniques. The lower housing upper half speaker/microphone Port A 324,
and the lower housing upper half speaker/microphone Port B 325, are
designed to allow for the undisturbed sound access and egress to the
portable electronic device speaker/microphone Ports 101A and 101B. The
symmetrically opposed lower housing upper half interlocking lips 327A and
327B are designed to mate and be permanently bonded with the lower
housing lower half interlock pockets 327A and 327B to add mechanical
strength and stability to the lower housing assembly 120. The lower
housing upper half device retaining lip 326 is designed to retain the
portable electronic device 100 in the z-axis when assembled into the
lower housing assembly 120, and to provide a surface to accommodate the
top trim decal pocket 329 shown in FIG. 16. The lower housing upper half
side decal pockets 326 and 327 have depths of the pockets designed to
accept the thickness of the corresponding adhesive backed rubber decals,
whereas the exposed top surface of the decals shall protrude some
distance beyond the top surfaces of the nosecone assembly 110, and the
lower housing assembly 120, which adds non-slip functionality of the case
assembly, as well as shock absorbing drop or bump protection
functionality.

[0042] FIG. 16., is a top left ISO view of the lower housing upper half
320, where the lower housing upper half top trim decal pocket 329, the
lower housing upper half back decal pocket 331, and the lower housing
upper half top thumb rest decal pocket 332, are designed to accept the
thickness of the corresponding adhesive backed rubber decals, whereas the
exposed top surface of the decals shall protrude some distance beyond the
top surfaces of the nosecone assembly 110, and the lower housing assembly
120, which adds non-slip functionality of the case assembly, as well as
shock absorbing drop or bump protection functionality. The lower housing
upper half top mic ports 330A and 330B are designed to allow for sound
access and egress from the portable electronic device speaker/mic ports
101A and 101B.

[0043] FIG. 17., is a top right ISO view of the nosecone housing component
111, which can be manufactured using any thermoplastic, metal, wood, or
composite material using any standard manufacturing process such as
injection molding or machining. FIG. 17., also highlights the nosecone
housing volume down button 203, and the nosecone housing volume up button
204 which are sub-components of the nosecone housing assembly 110 and may
be manufactured from any thermoplastic, metal, wood, or composite using
any standard manufacturing process such as injection molding or
machining. Buttons 203 and 204 are designed to provide an extension of
the portable electronic device volume down button 106, and volume up
button 107 through the nosecone housing volume up port aperture 112, and
nosecone housing volume down port aperture 113. The nosecone housing
volume button relief pocket 125, is incorporated into the nosecone
housing 111, to provide space for the retaining lip of the nosecone
housing buttons 202 and 203. In a similar manner, the nosecone housing
on/off button 201, may be manufactured from any thermoplastic, metal,
wood, or composite using any standard manufacturing process such as
injection molding or machining. Nosecone housing on/off button 201, is
designed to provide an extension of the portable electronic device on/off
button 103 through the nosecone housing on/off button port 114, allowing
the user uninhibited use of the device functionality. The nosecone
housing mute pocket 117 is provided to allow the user unrestricted access
and use of the electronic device mute switch 108. The nosecone housing
top trim decal pocket 126, and the nosecone housing right side decal
pocket 124, are designed to accept the thickness of the corresponding
adhesive backed rubber decals, whereas the exposed top surface of the
decals shall protrude some distance beyond the top surfaces of the
nosecone housing assembly 110, which adds non-slip functionality of the
case assembly, as well as shock absorbing drop or bump protection
functionality. FIG. 17., also highlights the nosecone housing retaining
lip 115, which is designed to retain the portable electronic device 100
in the z-axis when assembled into the nosecone housing assembly 110, and
to provide a surface to accommodate the nosecone housing top trim decal
pocket 126. The nosecone housing device retaining lip 115, in combination
with the lower housing upper half device retaining lip 326 when fully
assembled and interlocked with the electronic device 100, form an
unobstructed viewing port for the electronic device screen 100, the
electronic device top camera 109A, and the electronic device interface
button 104.

[0044] FIG. 18., is a bottom left ISO view of the nosecone component 111,
and highlights the nosecone housing core window 116, which is designed to
allow viewing of an OEM electronic device logo, and prevents unwanted
defects in the injection molding process such as sinks or unwanted
warping. The nosecone housing viewport 115 is incorporated into the
nosecone housing 111 to allow unaltered access to the electronic device
bottom camera 109B, without imparting any unwanted image distortion or
artifacts of the device imaging during normal use. The nosecone housing
bottom decal pocket 119, nosecone housing front decal pocket 120, and the
nosecone housing left side decal pocket 122, are designed to accept the
thickness of the corresponding adhesive backed rubber decals, whereas the
exposed top surface of the decals shall protrude some distance beyond the
top surfaces of the nosecone housing assembly 110, which adds non-slip
functionality of the case assembly, as well as shock absorbing drop or
bump protection functionality and aesthetic beautification.

Patent applications by Joseph J. George, Amherst, NH US

Patent applications in class WITH STORAGE MEANS FOR FLACCID CONDUCTOR

Patent applications in all subclasses WITH STORAGE MEANS FOR FLACCID CONDUCTOR